Begaj refuses Mitsotakis’ invitation
The President of the Republic, Bajram Begaj, has refused the invitation of the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, to participate in an informal dinner, scheduled for August 21. This was confirmed to ABC News by the office of the President. “In response to your interest, we inform you that …
Tourist season, Balla meeting with Police in Durres
Interior Minister Taulant Balla has started today with a meeting with the structures of the State Police who deal with the smooth running of the tourist season in Durres. In his speech, Balla thanked the good work done by the blue uniforms for the success of a model season, underlining …
Flux in the Port of Vlora, over 1000 people have arrived this morning
About 1400 people and 320 vehicles have arrived this morning at the Port of Vlora with two ferries of the Brindisi-Vlora line. The weekend marked another influx in the Port of Vlora. From the information of the port authorities, in the first two weeks of August, about 30% more passengers …
Burned tens of hectares of forest, two arrested in Himare
Two people have been arrested as suspected perpetrators of arson in Kudhes village in Himare. They lit a fire on a rented forest area, with the aim of regenerating the pasture, and as a result dozens of hectares were burned in the territory of Kudhës village. Meanwhile, a forest inspector …
Rama: We will not allow the wild behavior of a minority to damage Albania’s reborn tourism
Prime Minister Edi Rama has announced a new package of legal punishments for all those persons or subjects who throw garbage on the street. He says that the “wild behavior” of a minority cannot be tolerated, which through such actions damage the image of “Albania reborn by tourism”. The head …
Three arrested for indian’s death in Elbasan factory
Three people have been arrested by the police, following the death of the 45-year-old Indian man at the Elbasan aluminium recycling factory on Friday morning (August 18). It is reported that the victim was accidentally hit with a work tool by one of his compatriots, a 46-year-old man with the …
One dead and three injured in a car accident in Elbasan
A 70-year-old man died and three others were injured, including two minors, in an accident in Elbasan. The police proceeded to release a 39-year-old man who, while driving the vehicle, lost control and as a result the vehicle collided with the side barrier of the road. The authorities have started …
Analysis: Continued detention of elected mayor strains Albanian-Greek relations
TIRANA, Aug. 16, 2023 — The arrest and three-month-long pretrial detention of Fredi Beleri, the elected mayor of Himara, a coastal town in southwestern Albania, has ignited a diplomatic row between Albania and Greece and has prompted scrutiny on political influence on Albania’s justice system. Beleri is a key figure …
Multiple arrests made in high-profile corruption case linked to hospital sterilization concession
TIRANA, Aug. 17, 2023 – In a significant move that follows years of public accusations on ruling party officials, Albania’s Special Structure Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK) has made several arrests connected to a contentious hospital sterilization concession granted eight years ago. Among those arrested were former Deputy Minister …
Op/Ed: The Beleri case as bellwether for democracy in Albania
By GENC POLLO The standard definition of a political prisoner is “someone imprisoned for their political activity. The political offense is not always the official reason for the prisoner’s detention”. If it still holds Albania might have gotten one. Fredi Beleri, who ran on an opposition ticket in the local …
TIRANA, August 10 – Albania is stepping up work on its European Union integration process, with more than 20 draft laws already prepared for Chapters 16 and 29. Deputy Finance Minister Endrit Yzeiraj said the first half of 2026 brought heavy workloads and strategic tasks, but EU integration remained a …
Albania faces another potentially costly international dispute after losing several arbitration cases in recent years that have exposed the state to hundreds of millions of euros in compensation and related liabilities. Tirana Times, August 10, 2026 – Albania is no stranger to costly international arbitration. Over the past decade, the …
TIRANA, August 10 – High passenger and vehicle flows continue at Albania’s ports and border crossing points (BCP-s) during the peak tourist season. Thousands of people and vehicles have entered and left the country in recent hours. At the Port of Vlora, around 2,700 passengers are expected today on 3 …
TIRANA, August 10 – Albania’s annual inflation rate rose to 3.4% in July 2026, from 2.5% in July 2025. Consumer prices also increased by 0.2% from June. According to INSTAT data, food and non-alcoholic beverages made the largest contribution to annual inflation at 1.18 percentage points. The group covering housing, …
TIRANA, August 10 – Tradition, history and local cuisine came together at the 7th edition of “Mokra n’Fest”, held near the stone bridge in Golikë, Pogradec. The festival brought together local residents, visitors and emigrants who returned to their hometowns. An artisan fair and traditional food highlighted local products, including …
TIRANA, August 10 – Durrës Port recorded high passenger traffic during the first 10 days of August, as the summer travel season reached its peak. According to the Durrës Port Authority, 75,962 passengers travelled through the port between August 1 and 10. Most of the traffic involved arrivals, with 51,259 …
TIRANA, August 10 – Durrës remains a popular choice for foreign tourists spending their summer holidays in Albania. Prime Minister Edi Rama shared a video today featuring visitors from Germany, the Netherlands, England, the Czech Republic, Italy and other countries. Rama said the city’s sea, history, culture and Albanian hospitality …
TIRANA, August 10 – Problem loans in Albania’s banking system fell again in June. They accounted for 3.7% of total lending, down from 3.77% in May. According to Bank of Albania statistics, this marks the lowest level since 2007. The ratio also fell by 0.31 percentage points from June 2025. …
TIRANA, August 10 – Albania faces a high wildfire risk this afternoon and tomorrow, with temperatures reaching 40°C. The Institute of Geosciences (IGJEO) has placed 5 counties under a high-risk warning for forest fires. The warning covers Lezha, Durrës, Tirana, Elbasan and Fier. IGJEO expects a moderate risk in Shkodër, …
TIRANA, August 10 – Albania’s civil aviation sector is recording new highs in 2026 as summer tourism drives passenger and flight traffic. Infrastructure and Energy Minister Enea Karakaçi visited the public company Albcontrol today, to review measures for managing the increased air traffic. Albcontrol Director Dritan Isaku said the organisation …